What is an inference, and how is it tested on the SOL?

• A. A personal opinion.
• B. A summary of events.
• C. An inference is a conclusion drawn from evidence in the text; tested by reading between the lines and citing evidence.
• D. A guess without evidence.

Answer: (C)

An inference is a conclusion you reach based on clues in the text and what you already know. On the SOL, questions about inference ask you to read between the lines, figure out what the author implies, and support your reading with evidence from the passage. This means your answer isn’t just what the text says outright, but what the clues suggest and how those clues connect to what you know.

The best option defines inference as a conclusion drawn from evidence in the text and notes that you test it by reading between the lines and citing evidence. That captures both the idea of using textual clues and backing up your conclusion with specific evidence from the passage.

Why the other ideas don’t fit: a personal opinion isn’t necessarily grounded in what the text shows and can vary from reader to reader; a summary of events repeats what happened without drawing new meaning from clues; a guess without evidence relies on luck rather than textual support. To practice, look for hints about why a character acts a certain way, what a setting suggests about mood, or what might happen next, and point to exact lines or details that justify your inference.